Extensible trailer



' Oct.- 23, 1923.

' c. G. CLEMENT- EXTENSIBLE TRAILER- 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed March 19. 1920 W NN Q jwezztrf v zafka G Cmenf Oct 23, 1923.

1,471,549 c. G. CLEMENT EXTEILIS IBLE TRAILER Filed March 19.1920 2 Sheet-5heet 2 1 Jllk Patented a. 23, 1923. 1,471,549

UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE- CHARLES G. CLEMENT, OF EDGERTON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TOtHIG-HWAY TRAILER COMPANY, OF EDGERTONyWISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

EXTENSIBLEF TRAILER.- I

Application filed March 19, 1920. Serial No. 367,160.

T 0 all whom it may concern: 7 frame, 5, above which there is mounted the Be it known that I, CHARLEsGn' CLEMENT, load-carrying frame, 6. This is shown as a-citizen of the United States, and a resia telescopic construction consisting of an dent of Edgerton, in the county of Rock outer pair of side members, 6, which may be and State of lVisconsin, have invented cerof channel form, turned inwardly, and an 60 tain new and useful Improvements in Exteninner pair of members, 7, of similar channel sible Trailers, of which the following is a cross section turned outwardly and slidably specification, reference being bad to the acsupported upon runners, 8, which are bolted companying drawings, forming a part, or riveted to the members, 6, and may be of thereof. 1 any suitable material, hard maple wood hav- 5 The purpose of this invention is to proing been found satisfactory for thi purpose. vide an extensible load-supporting frame for The inner frame members, 7, are connecta vehicle which will be economical to manued by cross ties, 9, while the outer members, facture and simple to adjust for alteringthe 6, are attached to the sub-frame, 5, and also '15 length to accommodate longer or shorter provided with one or more cross ties, 10. In 7 loads. It is shown applied to a trailer in the drawings, the trailer is shown as adaptassociation with a motor truck or tractor. ed for carrying lumber or similar material, It consists in the features and elements of and for this purpose the frame members, 6,

constructionhereinafter described and shown are also provided with transversely-extend in the drawings, as indicated in the claims. ing channels, 11, and similar channels are 7 In the drawings: [connected at the forward end of the trailer Figure 1 is a top plan view of a trailer to the frame member, 7, while each of the constructed in accordance with this invenchannels is provided with bearings for a tion. roller, 13, and formed with stake pockets,

, Figure 2 is a side elevation including also 14, as shown in the drawings. Uponlongt ure 1.

a portion of a tractor vehicle to which it is tudinal extension of the frame, it may be attached. understood that the supporting wheels, 3, Figure 3 is a detail section taken transand sub-frame, 5, being secured to the memversely, as indicated at line, 33, on Figbers, 6, will move rearwardly therewith and away from the tractor vehicle, 2, while the Figure 4 is a detail Side elevation showing forward end of the inner frame, composed the adjusting means for changing the length of the members, 7 and 9, remain attached of the frame, and the locking device thereto the tractor vehicle by means of the fifth for. wheel, 1. .The channel members, 11, with 35 Figure 5 is a plan view of a slightly moditheir load-carrying members, 13, will move fied construction, showing the frame in parrearwardly with the frame members, 6,

tially extended position. while the channels, 12, and their rollers, 13, Figure 6 is a detail section, taken as indiwill remain with the frame members, 7 cated at 6-6 on Figure 5. For conveniently effecting such adjust- 40 Since in general construction the two ment, Figures 1, 2 and 3, show angle bars, forms of the invention shown in Figures 1 15, carrying gear teeth constituting a rack, and 5 respectively, are quite similar, the and secured to the inner faces of the channel same reference characters have been applied bars, 7, while a shaft, 16. is-journaled in to most of the parts and the same general bearings, 17, attached to the frame members, description will apply to both. It will be 6, and a pair of gear pinions, 18, on said understood that the invention is not limited shaft, 16, mesh with the racks, 15, respecin its application to a semitrailer of the type tively, so that rotation of the shaft, 16, by shown in the drawings, but that this form means of a crank handle, 19, will feed the of vehicle has been chosen as a convenient inner telscoping frame in one direction or one for purpose of illustration. Such a the other along the slides, 8, according to trailer is generally attached by means of a the direction in which the shaft is rotated. turn-table or fifth-wheel, 1, to a tractor ve- For locking the two frames together at any hicle indicated at 2 in Figure 2, and the desired position of such adjustment, disk, 20, trailer frame is supported on wheels, 3, with on the shaft, 16, is provided with notches,

$5 springs, 4:, which may be attached to sub- 21, to receive a locking dog, 22, elidably mounted in a fitting, '23, secured to the side of the channel, 6, adjacent the operating crank 19. At its opposite end the dog, 22, has a transversely bent handle, 24, by which it may be drawn out of notches, 21, in opposition to the spring, 25, tending to hold it therein. When so withdrawn, the dog member may be rotated to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, in which the bent handle, 24, is lodged upon the edge of the fitting, 23, with the dog withheld from the disk, 20. For again locking the disk, the handle, 24, is merely rotated 90 degrees, permitting it to drop into a notch, 26, in the fitting, 23, and allowing the dog, 22, to descend into one of the notches, 21. As shown, the end of the shaft, 16, is squared and the handle, 19, may be made removable so that it may be used on the squared end, 28, of the rollers, 13, for feeding the load on or off of the trailer when desired.

In a modified construction illustrated in Figure 5, the shaft, 16, is replaced by a shaft, 29, carrying a drum, 7, about which there is coiled a cable, 31, whose opposite ends ex tend respectively to the forward and rear ends of the inner frame, being secured to the cross members, 9, thereof. With this arrangement the adjustment of the telescoping frame is effected by merely rotating the shaft, 29,with its drum, 30,which feeds more of the cable onto one end of the drum and at the same time feeds off a corresponding amount at the other end, causing the drum, 30, and the frame member, 6, by which it is carried to travel longitudinally with respect to the frame member, 7. The parts may be secured in adjusted position by the same means as shown in Figure 4, in connection with the form of the device illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3.

I claim:

1. An extensible vehicle structure including two frames composed of an inner pair and an outer pair of metallic side bars with means connecting together the two bars of each pair, all of said side bars being of channel section with the outer channels facing inwardly and the inner channels facing outwardly, and a wooden guide rail secured in each of the channels of one pair and extending into the opposed adjacent channel of one bar of the other pair for slidably engaging one frame with the other to permit telescopic adjustment of said frames.

2. In the combination defined in claim 1, said wooden" guide rails being secured to the outer pair of channels and slidably engaging the inner pair.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of March, A. D. 1920.

CHARLES G. CLEMENT. 

